WARREN, Ohio, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Convicted ex-congressman James A. Traficant Jr. says he may run for Congress again, possibly in Ohio or Pennsylvania.
Traficant, 68, held a news conference in Canfield, Ohio, to announce he was circulating nominating petitions, the Warren (Ohio) Tribune Chronicle reported Thursday. He isn't saying which district he would run in if he decides to run.
In 2002, the Ohio Democratic congressman, who was first elected in 1984, was convicted of taking bribes from businessmen, accepting kickbacks from staff members and tax evasion. He was expelled from the House in July that year, the political Web site cqpolitics.com said.
He ran for re-election from federal prison as an independent, winning 15 percent of the vote.
Traficant was released from prison in September after serving seven years. Felony convictions would not bar him from being elected to Congress, the Web site said.
"I'm proud of being an ex-con, by the way," Traficant said.
